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A(No Model.)

E. T. MGKAIG. METAL BEDSTEAD..

No. 574 560.` Patented-Jan.5,1897.

m: Nona s suns co New urne UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.-

EDDY T. MCKAIG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-'lI-IIRDS TO E. O. KADOXV AND S. M. LANE, OF SAME PLACE.

METAL BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No'. 574,560, dated January 5, 1897'.

Application filed October l2, 1895. Serial No. 565,510. (No modali) This invention relates to improvements in` metal bcdsteads; and the object of the in vention is to provide improvements in the construction and arrangement of the various parts thereof, whereby the cost of manufacture is reduced, the assemblage and taking apart'of the several members greatly facilitated, provision made for adjust-ment neeessary to compensate for irregularities incident to manufacture or otherwise, and the strength and rigidity of the article as a whole increased, while at the same time its appearance is greatly enhanced.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described,and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and will be readily understood, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the head end of a bedstead constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an axial section of the upper part of one of the head-posts, taken in the same vertical plane with the bracketsupport of the canopy and showing the latter in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking downwardly. Figs. 4 and 5 are plan and side elevations, respectively, of the semispherical casting forming the lower half of the socket, by means of which the upper angle ot' the canopy-bracket is connected to the cornerposts. Figs. 6 and 7 are top and bottom plan views, respectively, showing the form of connection of the side and end rails with the corner-posts, the latter being shown in horizontal section. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail taken on the line S S of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the semispherical casting forming the upper half of the socket, by means of which the bracket and canopy-rod are con* nected with the corner-post.

Fig. l0 is a detail inner face view ofthe clip or union used for uniting various parts of the bedstead.

For convenience in illustration the head end only of the bedstead is herein'shown, it

ybeing understood that the connections of the side and en d rails with the foot-posts are identical with those shown and described in connection with the head-posts, and that the particular construction of said foot end of the bedstead in other respects is immaterial.

Referring to said drawings, A designates as a whole the head end of a bedstead, comprising corner-posts A A', side rails A2 A2, and a head-rail A3, attached to said cornerposts, the usual griliework or series of bars or rods extending between said corner posts designated as a whole by B and a canopy-top indicated as awhole by O.

The corner-posts A are of tubular metal and may be either of plain cylindrical Jform or ornamented, as shown herein, or otherwise, the

vgrillework being connected therewith in the usual manner. The side and end rails A2 A2 and A3 are constructed of angle-iron, one flange thereofbeing arranged in a horizontal plane with its edge projecting inwardly and the other riiange extending vertically downward and forming the outer side of the rail. The side rails are rigidly but removably connected with the corner-posts A A by means of a novel form of bracket connection hereinafter described in detail and made the subject of claims.

The canopy-top C, mounted upon the upper parts of the posts A, is constructed and arranged as follows: Upon the upper open end of each head-post A is secured a hollow metal socket D, preferably, and as herein shown, of approximately spherical form and of larger diameter than the exterior diameter of the posts A. The socket D is composed of two'main parts or members D D2, made to separate in a horizontal plane, the lower part D being conveniently secured upon the upper end of the post by means of au integral stud or shank d, which is inserted and iits closely within the hollow upper end of said post. For the purpose of economizing in material and to facilitate dressing down in case it is necessary to remove irregularities produced in casting, said shank CZ is preferably ICO made of less diameter than the interior of the tubular posts and is provided with a plurality ot radially-projecting webs or fianges CZ, the outer edges of which engage the interior wall of said posts and produce the required close fit.

D3 designates a vertical stud which extends upwardly from the center of the lower member D' of the socket, said stud being preferably constructed of wrought or rod metal cast in, and is of snflicient length to extend entirely through the socket and project at its upper end above the same, which upper end is screw-threaded to receive a retaining device hereinafter referred to. In the upper margin of the lower part and arranged at an angular distance of ninety degrees apart are two notches (Z2 d3, the latter being approximately semicircular, while the other, (Z2, is considerably deeper and also provided with a rounded bottom, as shown clearly in Fig. 5. The upper half D2 of the socket is substantially like the lower part Dl in its general form, being' provided with similar notches d* d5, which register with those of said lower part when the members are properly assembled, both of the notches of the upper member, however, being of equal depth. Atits upper side the member D2 is provided with a central hub or cylindrical boss d, which is centrally apertured for the reception of the upper end of the stud D3. The upper end of said boss d terminates in a flat annular surface or seat (Z7.

E designates an ornamental knob provided with al screw threaded socket c, which is adapted to engage the upper end of the stud D3 and to contact at its lower end with the annular shoulder di', thereby clamping the two members of the socket firmly together, while at the same time the knob forms a desirable finish for the top of the post.

F designates as a whole a segmental-shaped bracket comprising a curved brace-rod F, an obliquely-depending bracket-arm W, and a clip or union F3, which serves to rigidly unite said rod and arm. The clip F3 is composed of two castings, preferably of ornamental form, having iiat meeting faces, and provided in said meeting faces with seinieircular grooves arranged in T relation or at right angles to each other and adapted to receive the brace-rod F and bracket-arm F2. Said clip members are herein shown as secured together by means of a rivet f. In order that said clips F3 may also be employed for securing parts of the grillework together, semieylindrieal recesses f* f, forming, as shown in Fig. l, when the two parts are together a socket for the reception of a bolthead, are formed in the top side of the easting or in alinement with the longitudinallyarranged groove thereof. Obviously the external form of the clip may be varied both in contour and ornamentation. The recess f"L being of larger diameter than the recess f5, suitable shoulders are thus formed adapted for engagement with the head of the bolt.

The ugper end of the arm F2 is bent to form a horiZontally-arran ged portion f', which enters the socket D and is arranged to rest within the lower part of the notch (l2 thereof. As a convenient means for retaining the end of said arm within the socket and at the same time providing for a slight vertical pivotal movement thereof its end portion within the socket is flattened, as at f2, so as to expand it laterally into a fan or wedge shape, thereby preventing its withdrawal when the socket members are clamped together, but permitting it to be lifted out freely when the upper part D2 is removed.

The lower end of the curved brace-rod F is screw threaded and provided with a bellshaped adjusting-sleeve F'l threaded therein. The threaded end of said curved brace-rod is adapted to enter and fit loosely within the aperture a, formed in the corner-post A', the smaller outer end of the bell-shaped sleeve forming an annular shoulder, which serves to limit the entrance of said brace-rod wit-hin the corner-post. The upper end of the supporting-rod is provided with a fork within which rests the horizontally-arranged can opy-f rame. Said canopy-frame, as herein shown, comprises a front rod c an d end rods c C', arranged to extend at right angles te said front rod, said rods c' c being preferably and herein shown made integral. The free ends of the end rods c are inserted in the sockets Band occupy the upper portion of the same apertures with the ends of the bracket-arms F', being also similarly flattened to retain them therein.

CT designates a cross-rod extending between the corner-posts A, having its respective ends engaged with the sockets D and retained therein by being flattened and inserted in the apertures formed bythe notches cl3 d" therein.

lt will be obvious from the foregoing description thatthe parts, when constructed and arranged as described, form a rigid canopyframe which may, however, be adjusted to raise or lower the canopy-rod C' by simply tu rning the bell-shaped sleeve in one d ireetion or the other upon the brace-rod F'. Said bellshaped sleeve, while being of ornamental appearan ce in its surface, also conceals the threaded portion of the brace-rod F exterior to the corner-post.

Next describing the attachments in detail for connecting the side and end rails with the cornerposts, Il designates as a whole a bracket provided with integral arms H IIJ, arranged at right angles to each-other an d provided also with a suitable post-aperture 7L in its body portion at the juncture of said arms adapted to receive the corner-post A. The bracket Il is secured upon the post A ata dcsired height by any suitable means, preferably by means of a set-screw 7L', tapped through the inner side of the bracket and impinging against the body of the post at its inner end.

The bracket-arms Il' Il2 are approximately of a right-angled triangular form in crosssection, as indicated clearly in Figs. 8 and 9,

IOO

IIO

and arranged with their right-angled surfaces h2 h3 in horizontal and vertical planes, respectively, so as to receive thereon the ends of the angle-iron rails A2 A3. Shoulders h'L are formed at the juncture of the bracket-arms H H2 with the body of the bracket against which the ends of said rails abut. As a novel and improved form of connection for securing said rails upon the bracket-arms II' H2, I have shown in Figs. 6,' 7, and 8 a clamping-ring I, of proper size and conformation to encircle and fit closely upon the bracket-arm and the end of the rail placed thereon. Said clamping-ring I is providedwith a set-screw I', inserted in a suitably-threaded aperture formed in the inner side of said ring and arranged to impinge against the inner surface of the bracket-arm, thereby serving to force the latter into the angle of the rail and clamping said parts firmly together. As an improvement in the construction of said set-screw I provide'an ordinary square-headed forged set-screw I' with a removable cast thumb-nut 2', having a rectangular socket aperture i', adapted to receive the square head of said screw, but made slightly tapering toward its inner end, so as to prevent said set-screw head from passing entirely through the socket, the object beiug to prevent the thumb-nut from dropping off and becoming1 lost when the setscrew is in use, while at the same time permittin g its ready removal after the set-screw has been disconnected from the ring.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have described a bedstead the several parts of which may be assembled or taken apart with great facility, and which several parts, owing to their simplicity and peculiar conformation, may be manufactured at a minimum cost. At the same time the structure when assembled, while apparently of light and airy construction and therefore of graceful appearance, is nevertheless eX- tremely strong and rigid.

The construction by means of which the canopy-frame is rendered adjustable is a feature of importance, inasmuch as it is found difficult to prevent more or less irregularity in manufacturing and also because such frames are liable to sag or become more or less distorted in use.

I claim as my inventionm 1. The combination with the posts of a metal bedstead, of a canopy-bracket comprising a curved brace-bar ad j ustabl y connected at one end with the bed-post and provided at its other end withv means for engaging and supporting a canopy-rod and a bracket-arm rigidly connected at one end with the central portion of the curved brace-bar and provided at its other end with an expanded portion and a socket carried by said post with which said expanded portion is engaged, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the post of a metal bedstead, of a canopy-bracket comprising a curved brace-bar adj ustably connected at one end with the body of the post and provided at its other end with a fork, a hollow metal socket carried by said post and a bracketarm rigidly connected at one endwith the central portion of the curved brace-bar and inserted at its other end within said hollow metal socket, the end portion of the bracketarm within said hollow metal socket bein g flattened and expanded laterally so as to prevent its withdrawal therefrom, substantially as set forth.

3. A hollow shell-socket for securing an attachment to the post of a bedstead comprising upper and lower sections separable in a horizontal plane, the lower section being provided with a shank adapted for insertion in the hollow upper end of the post, a bolt for securing said sections together and an aperture in the shell at the line of separation of the parts thereof, substantially as set forth'.

4. The combination with a bedstead-post, of a hollow shell-socket for securing an attachment to the post comprising upper and lower sections made separable, a shank on one of said sections for insertion in the post, a stud rigidly connected with one section and extending through the other, and an aperture in the shell at the line of separation of the parts, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a bedstead-post of a hollow shell-socket for securing an attachment to the post comprising upper and lower sections made separable, a shank on one of said sections for insertion in the post, a stud rigidly connected with one of the sections and extending through the other, an ornamental retaining-nut engaging with the end of said stud, and an aperture in the shell at the line of separation of the parts, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the posts of a metal bedstead of canopy-brackets each comprising a curved brace-bar, screw-threaded at one end, a bell-shaped adjusting-sleeve engaging with said screw-threaded portion for adjustably connecting said brace-bar with the bedpost, a fork formed upon the other end of said brace-bar, a hollow metal socket carried by the bed-post and a bracket-arm rigidly connected at one end to the central portion of the curved brace-bar and inserted at its other end within an aperture formed in said hollow metal socket carried by the bed-post, the end portion of the bracket-arm within said hollow metal socket being flattened. and expanded laterally so as to prevent its withdrawal therefrom, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the posts of a metal bedstead of canopy-brackets each comprising a curved brace-bar, screw-threaded at one end, a bell-shaped adj usting-sleeve engaging with said screw-threaded portion for adjustably connecting said brace-bar with the bedpost, a fork formed upon the other end of IOO.

IIO

said brace-bar, a hollow metal socket carried by the bed-post1 a bracket-arm rigidly connected at one end to the central portion of the curved brace-bar and inserted at its other end within an aperture formed in said hollow metal socket carried bythe bed-post, the end portion of the bracket-arm within said hollow metal socket being iiattened and expanded laterally so as to prevent its withdrawal therefrom, and a canopy-rod having the form of a l1orizontally-arranged rectangular loop, the end portions thereof being engaged with said hollow sockets and its intermediate portions supported by the outer ends of the brackets, substantially as set forth.

S. The combination with the posts ofa metal bedstead of canopy-brackets each comprising a curved bracebarscrew-threaded at one end, a bellshaped adj listing-sleeve engaging with said screw-threaded portion for adjustably connecting said brace-bar with the bed-post, a fork formed upon the other end of said bracebar, a hollow metal socket carried by the bed post, a bracket-arm rigidly connected at one end to the central portion of the curved bracebar and inserted at its other end wit-hin an aperture formed in said hollow meta-l socket carried by the bed-post, the end portion of the bracket -arm within said hollow metal socket being flattened and expanded laterally so as to prevent its withdrawal therefrom, a canopy-rod having the form of a horizontallyarranged rectangular loop, the end portions thereof being engaged with said hollow sockets and its intermediate portions supported by the outer en ds of the brackets, and a crossbar connecting said posts arranged in the same plane with said canopy-rod, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with the corner-post of a bedstead, of a bracket for attaching` the side and end rails thereto, comprising integral railsupporting arms extending at right angles to each other, a vertical post-aperture extending through the body of said bracket at the juncture of the arms, means for securing the bracket in position upon the post, and means for securing the rails upon said arms, comprising a clamping-ring provided at one side with a set-screw arranged to im pinge against one of the encircled parts to clamp the same together, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with the corner-post of a bedstead, of a bracket for attaching the rails thereto comprising integral rail-supporting arms extending at right angles to cach other, the said rails having the form of a rightangled triangle in cross-section, the reetangular sides of which are arranged in horizontal and vertical planes, respectively, a vcrti cal post-aperture extending through the body 'of the bracket at the juncture of the arms, means for securing the bracket in position upon the post and means for securing angleiron rails upon said rail-supporting arms co1n prising a clamp-ring arranged to encircle both rail and bracket and provided with a set-screw at one side of said ring arranged to impingc against the bracket-arm whereby the latter is forced into the angle of the rail, substantially as set forth.

1l. The combination with a set-screw having an outwardly-flaring pyramidal head, of a removable cast-metal thumlrl'iut provided with a tapered rectangular socket adapted to receive the head of the set-screw, said socket being made tapering toward its inner end, substantially as set forth.

19. A clip for securing the parts of a metal bedstead together in fixed relation, comprising two metal castings having flat meeting faces, each provided in its face with grooves semieircular in cross-section and arranged to register with each other and extending in crossed relation so as to form sockets for the reception of cylindrical bodies, and a rivet or equivalent securing said parts together, each of said sockets being enlarged within the body of the casting to form a recess of greater diameterthan said groove whereby a shoulder is formed adapted to receive and hold the head of a bolt or the like, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 24th day of August, A. l). lSl.

EDI) Y T. MCKAIG.

Witnesses:

TAYLOR E. BRowN, minuti L. HALL. 

